A/N: Sorry this chapter is, for me, a bit on the short side.
Chapter 42
Emily Prentiss sat impatiently in a metal chair picking at her cuticles as she did when stressed. And she was stressed right now for sure as she glanced at the empty chair across from her...waiting. She waited for the prisoner to be brought to her for questioning. To put the final nail in Jason Hemminger's coffin. She had been greeted by Patrick Comines when she arrived, and after a brief exchange of pleasantries, escorted to a conference room. He then assured her he would be back with Agent Sizemore. That had been nearly ten minutes ago, and her patience now grew short.
She hated waiting, but really didn't have a choice. Emily sighed as she moved a strand of hair behind her ear. She hoped she didn't have to wait too much longer because it gave her too much time to think. Too much time to think how Jason Hemminger was doing all he can to destroy Hotch. Too much time to think that it was one of their own which made it even harder to fathom.
But she didn't have to wait long. She turned her head when the door opened, and Agent Comines walked into the room. He nodded at Emily and held the door open for the others. He was followed into the room by a younger man of Spencer Reid's build with sandy hair and hazel eyes. And behind him walked two more agents. A glance told Prentiss the two men behind the younger man were probably assigned as guards to keep an eye on Sizemore. Comines motioned to the empty chair across from the brunette.
"Have a seat, agent," Comines addressed Sizemore. As the agent sat down, Comines ordered the two other agents to wait outside until needed. After they left, Comines stared harshly at Sizemore. "Agent Sizemore, this is Agent Prentiss of the BAU. She is here to ask you several questions about the insubordination on your part against Agent Hotchner from yesterday. As you are already in trouble, I strongly suggest you answer all her questions. Do we understand each other?"
Sizemore snickered as he studied Prentiss. "How do you like to work working for a pervert, Agent Prentiss?" he asked sarcastically trying to act braver than he felt at the moment.
Before Emily could respond, Comines exploded with rage.
"Agent Sizemore, and I use the title loosely. I suggest you watch your mouth! You're in serious trouble, and this attitude will only make things worse in the end!"
Whether Sizemore paid attention to what his boss said no one knows. His eyes were still focused on Emily Prentiss.
"Tell me something, Agent Prentiss. Does Agent Hotchner have a favorite boy-toy on his team? Is it perhaps that Doctor Reid? Normally I would say it might be a beautiful woman like you. But since your boss swings the other way, my money's on Doctor Reid. I can't see two alphas like Agents Morgan and Rossi allowing that to be done to them. But that Doctor Reid is rather a delicate looking thing."
"Agent, you're suspended until further notice!" Comines boomed. "Do we understand each other?!"
His boss's tone indicated to Sizemore he had dug himself in much deeper. Also, the extra courage he had earlier had now faded. It had just occurred to him how much trouble he was in because of his actions, and nobody had his back this time. He was on his own. And although he wouldn't admit it, he was a bit scared. No...make that plenty scared.
"I said do we understand each other?!"
Sizemore paled looking into his boss's face and swallowed hard. All he did was nod numbly. Comines stepped back with arms folded over his chest to allow Emily space to ask her questions.
Prentiss' dark eyes narrowed as she studied the younger man now seated across from her. As she did, she watched him struggle to keep eye contact with her. Every time he tried to look at her, he was confronted with her version of the 'Hotchner' stare, he averted his eyes, and stared at his hands instead.
"Agent Sizemore, I understand you've been told why I'm here. So let's not play games shall we?" Emily asked.
Sizemore didn't respond. He just continued staring at his hands.
"I want answers and I want them now. Who started the rumors about Agent Hotchner that you and others have been spreading around the hospital?"
"How can you say it's a rumor?" Sizemore asked with a hint of sarcasm.
"Because I know Agent Hotchner," Prentiss replied. "So I suggest you answer my question. Who started the rumors?"
"Nobody," Sizemore mumbled.
"Agent Sizemore!" Comines hissed, his face now beet red with anger. "I suggest you answer Agent Prentiss' questions and stop playing games. You're already on thin ice. Don't make it worse for yourself."
Sizemore raised his eyes and glanced at his boss. The expression on his face sent shivers down his spine. But he didn't want to get a friend in trouble by snitching on him.
"Nobody," he repeated. But his eyes told Emily he was lying.
Comines approached the table, and leaning over, placed both palms flat on the table. He glared at his agent.
"I'm going to give you one last chance to answer Agent Prentiss' question. And don't insult our intelligence by saying 'nobody' because it'd be a lie. Somebody started those rumors. So unless you want to go down for this all on your own, I suggest you start talking."
"In addition, agent," Emily added. "I will see to it you are charged with complicity in the assault on Agent Hotchner as well as spreading the rumors about him." She examined the fingernails on one hand. "That is unless you answer my questions."
Sizemore looked at Emily, horrified. "You can't do that! I ain't no fa…." He closed his mouth before he finished. "Nothing."
"You were going to say fag, weren't you?" Prentiss said. She hated that word. "What makes you think Agent Hotchner is a homosexual?" she asked.
Sizemore shrugged. "He took it in the ass, didn't he?" Sizemore asked. "That's how they do it, don't they?"
"Agent Hotchner was mugged and severely beaten in an alley, agent," Emily lied. "Who is saying it was something other than that?"
Sizemore glared at the brunette. "If he was mugged, then how come he had surgery on his butt?"
"I don't know that," Prentiss said. "How do you? Were you in the operating room? And who told you that lie? The only surgery I'm aware he had was to remove his spleen."
"That's not what Hem…" Sizemore bit his lower lip before he finished his sentence.
"Hemminger?" Emily showed no reaction. "Jason Hemminger? How did he find out what surgery Agent Hotchner had? Was he invited into the operating room by the doctors?"
Out of the corner of her eye, Prentiss spotting Comines grinding his lower jaw in what she was certain was anger.
Sizemore realized he was cornered now. He became aware he tripped up by letting Hemminger's name partially slip out before he caught himself. But the main thing now was he willing to take the blame for the man he considered a friend. He swallowed the lump in his throat drawing the conclusion that a friendship wasn't worth throwing his career away.
"I…I'm not sure exactly where or from who he got the information. He made it seem like he got it from Hotchner's doctor. At least that's what he told us."
"Us?" Comines asked, getting angrier by the moment. "Who's us? How many agents did he tell the lie to, Sizemore?"
Sizemore shrugged. "I not sure exactly. Carl Dennison told me. He got it from Dennis Switzer. And he got it from Ron Beckman. I can't tell you if there were any others."
Emily huffed and leaned back in her chair. She crossed her arms across her chest and stared at Sizemore with a harsh stare.
"You disgust me, agent," she said. "You accept a lie as truth, and to make matters worse, you go about helping smear the reputation of a good man. You make me ill."
"But I didn't know Agent Hotchner except by name and his…" Sizemore began to say in his defense. He never got a chance to finish.
"So because you don't know Hotch, you decided it was all right to help smear his reputation?" Emily hissed.
"No, that's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?" What did you start to say earlier?"
"I…I was going to say that his reputation sounded too good to be true, so I…I figured he had to be a phony and a fraud."
Emily's eyebrows arched upward and disappeared into her bangs. "I stand corrected, agent. You don't make me ill. You totally disgust me!" She tilted her head to the side. "Tell me, Agent Sizemore, have you ever met Agent Hotchner?"
Sizemore shook his head negatively. "I've heard his name once or twice, that's all."
"Well, I'll tell you something. I've worked under him for a little over nine years, and I can say with assurance, that he works harder than anybody I've ever met or known. And the reputation and respect he has earned is well deserved."
"And I can also vouch for his work ethic," Comines added. "Agent Hotchner paid his dues and worked hard throughout the years, and earned every award, promotion, and commendation he's been given. If you're lucky, you'll be half the agent he is. And I do mean if, agent, because if you stay one is debatable at the moment." Comines shook his head in disgust. "I have something else to say, and I want you to listen closely. You, and Agents Dennison, Switzer, and Beckman are all in serious trouble. Once this investigation is complete, I will decide what and if other charges will be filed. What else can you tell us what Agent Hemminger did or had planned where Agent Hotchner is concerned?"
"I don't know. I really don't."
"Don't lie to us, agent," Comines demanded.
"I'm not, sir. I really don't know if he had anything else planned," Sizemore admitted looking up at his boss's red face. "But there was something."
"And what would that be, agent?" asked Emily. Sizemore looked at the brunette woman sorrowfully.
"I can't be sure, but I got the impression that Agent Hemminger had something else in mind than just embarrassing Agent Hotchner."
"Such as?" Comines asked.
"I told you, sir, I don't know. He never said. It was just a feeling I got is all."
"So you had no idea he was contacting Child Protective Services to have Agent Hotchner's son taken from him on a bogus charge?" asked Emily.
"What?!" asked Comines staring at Emily. He then turned an angry glare onto his own agent.
Sizemore swallowed hard seeing his boss's expression. He turned his eyes on Emily. "I swear, Agent Prentiss. He didn't tell me what he had planned."
Comines had heard enough and reached out a hand. "Give me your badge and weapon, agent."
"Sir?" Sizemore asked hesitantly hoping he misunderstood his boss, but knowing he hadn't.
"You understood me, agent. Give me your badge and your gun."
"Yes, sir," Sizemore replied sadly reaching into his jacket. He pulled out his credentials and handed them to his boss. Then he handed his service weapon to his boss reluctantly.
"Do you have any other questions for this man, Agent Prentiss?" asked Comines.
"I'm done here," Emily said, her eyes still angry.
"As I said earlier, you are hereby suspended, Agent Sizemore, pending further investigation," Comines added harshly. As he carried the items in his hand, he walked to the door, opened it, and gestured to the two agents waiting in the hallway. Both agents stepped into the room, first glancing at Sizemore, and then their boss. "Agent Sizemore is suspended until further notice. Get him out of here."
"Yes, sir," one of the agents replied.
Sizemore slowly got to his feet. He looked at Emily and then his boss. "I'm sorry," was all he said as he walked toward the door. His hand gripped the door handle.
"Agent Sizemore," Prentiss called out.
The agent turned and looked at the woman, waiting.
"You say you're sorry, and on the surface that might sound fine to you. But the damage you and others have done by giving credence to lies, then rumors, and then proceeding to spread those lies and rumors to others is unforgivable. It is also incomprehensible on your part. So I am quite sure you are sorry. But in this situation, you being sorry isn't acceptable compared to helping someone damage the reputation of a good man who never did anything but help people."
Jason Hemminger, having satisfied his hunger, parked his car a block away from the Brooks house again. As he got out of the vehicle, he looked both ways before he jogged in the direction of the house. He didn't spot anybody or anything which didn't surprise him. At this time of the morning, things were usually quiet in this neighborhood. He had discovered that while stalking Jessica Brooks. Knowing he was alone with nobody the wiser to watch him brought a smile to his face. He was all alone, and could see the goings on in the Brooks house uninterrupted.
He ducked behind the same shrubbery he had before to get closer to the house. As he carefully moved the leaves, he saw something that made his heart beat with excitement. He spied a vehicle with a CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES emblem emblazoned on the driver's side door of the vehicle, and nearly burst out in applause seeing it. He edged a bit closer to the now cracked open window facing the shrubbery which he had looked through but was closed last night. With luck, he'd be able to listen in on Hotchner's brat being removed from the house kicking and screaming for his perverted father. I so wish you were here, Hotchner. I would have loved to have seen your face when your son is taken from the house. It would have been a glorious sight to watch your anguish.
Hemminger positioned himself just beneath the cracked open window, and felt he had a perfect view to see everything. Sneaking a peek in the corner of the window, he saw a man and a woman he had never seen. The woman had short red hair, the man neatly trimmed light brown hair. They both had what appeared to be notebooks on the laps, and they both wore badges. They were seated on the sofa beside Jessica Brooks. He figured they must have been the CPS agents. On the opposite side of Jessica sat Jack Hotchner looking scared, keeping his eyes straight ahead. Her arm was wrapped around the boy's shoulders. The child appeared to Hemminger to want to be anywhere other than where he was at the moment. "Probably wants his perverted father," he told himself gleefully.
And seated in a chair close by was the same sugar-daddy. The man and woman seemed to be directing their questions toward Jessica. He just wished he could hear what was being said.
So absorbed in trying to overhear what was being said, Hemminger seemed oblivious to everything else around him. Neither did he notice that he was no longer alone in the shrubbery. He reached out a hand, and slid it under the cracked open window intending to raise the window further hoping it would enable him to listen to the conversation. As his fingers made contact with the window, he froze. The pressure from the business end of a Glock had been pressed against his head. The smirk on his face slowly faded.
"FBI, don't move!" said a voice.
Hemminger turned his head in the direction of the voice. He wasn't surprised to see the business end of a Glock aimed at his head. But he was surprised by who the speaker was. It was Doctor Spencer Reid. The young agent had an intense look on his face for one so young. Jason smirked and slowly got to his feet, eyes on Reid.
"Well look who's here. Good ole Doctor Reid. Probably Agent Hotchner's boy-toy." He eyed the gun in Reid's hands. "You going to arrest me, doctor?" He moved his hands toward his pockets.
"I wouldn't suggest you do that," said another voice on the opposite side of Hemminger. The agent looked over to see Detective Moeller standing with his weapon pointed at him. And beside Moeller was a uniformed officer with his service weapon out as well. "You're under arrest, Agent Hemminger," Moeller added.